Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
(This video from The Quint’s archives has been reposted following a fresh round of speculation over PM Modi shooting for a documentary on the day of the Pulwama terror attack. The trigger was the trailer of the upcoming episode of ‘Man Vs Wild’, released by host Bear Grylls, featuring Modi.)
On 14 February 2019, Kashmir was hit by the worst terror attack in decades killing 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir. Questions have been raised in the wake of the attack about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whereabouts and a possible delay in his public condemnation of the attack.
So what exactly was PM Modi doing on 14 February?
- 7 am: Prime Minister Modi arrives at Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. He is stuck there because of bad weather.
- 11:15 am: Prime Minister Modi leaves for Jim Corbett National Park by helicopter. He first goes to Kalagarh and then Dhikala. PM Modi spends over 4 hours at Jim Corbett. He shoots for a documentary during this time.
- 3:10 pm: Car bomb detonates at Pulwama, news begins pouring in soon after. PM Modi is still at Jim Corbett.
- 4 pm: Prime Minister Modi reportedly leaves Jim Corbett.
- 5:10 pm: Prime Minister Modi addresses a rally in Rudrapur through telephone, doesn’t mention Pulwama attack.
- 6:46 pm: Prime Minister Modi finally tweets, condemning Pulwama attack.
But Questions Remain
- Was PM Modi at the documentary shooting when the attack took place?
- When was he informed about the attack?
- Did he continue shooting the documentary even after being told about the attack?
- Why did it take PM Modi over 3 hours to react to the attack?
- Did PM Modi know about the attack before addressing the rally at Rudrapur?
- If he knew, why did he go ahead with the rally?
- Why didn’t PM Modi express his anger at the attack, in his speech?
- PM Modi’s reaction came 90 minutes after his speech. Was the rally more important than reacting to the attack?
- And if PM Modi didn’t know about the attack when he addressed the rally, why was this information kept from him?
Three Possibilities
- Top govt functionaries failed to communicate with each other after such a major terror attack. Verdict: Indifferent
- PM Modi knew of the attack but still went ahead with his shooting and rally. Verdict: Insensitive
- PM Modi came to know about the attack slightly late in Jim Corbett, yet went ahead and addressed the rally in Rudrapur. Verdict: Indifferent and insensitive
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